Day: March 10, 2022

Fort Worth, TX, March 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Unity Unlimited, Inc.’s very own ‘Grandmother of Juneteenth’  Ms. Opal Lee, has signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the world’s leading entertainment and sports agency, to obtain talent representation as she campaigns for unity and freedom around the globe.

Ms. Opal began her mission in 2016 with a goal set forth to walk 1,400 miles from Fort Worth, Texas, to the steps of Congress in Washington D.C, intending to establish Juneteenth as a nationally recognized holiday. Through a strategic partnership with global brand storytelling agency [INVNT GROUP]™, and support from CAA and the CAA Foundation, Opal’s Walk 2 DC mobilized into a viral movement across the nation. On June 21, 2021, with Ms. Opal at his side, President Joe Biden signed the bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday in the United States – the first since 1983, when Martin Luther King Day was established.

Ms. Opal is deeply honored to join CAA’s network and roster of world-class entertainers and changemakers, granting her movement the opportunity to connect with generations of people to share the story of Juneteenth for legacies to come.

The signing comes days after releasing a special edition of Ms. Opal’s children’s book:  Juneteenth A Children’s Story Special Edition. The book explains the significance and origin of Juneteenth to promote the open education of young children, their parents, and teachers worldwide.

Dione Sims, Founder of Unity Unlimited, Inc., explained, “Establishing the federal holiday has created a vacuum for accurate information about Juneteenth, and we are honored that CAA is putting their resources to work to provide Ms. Opal the opportunities to educate the world about Juneteenth and the freedoms that were gained.”

For more information, please visit www.therealopallee.com.

ABOUT OPAL LEE

Ms. Opal is the oldest living board member of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF), founded and led by the late Dr. Ronald Myers, Sr., whose initiative is for Juneteenth to become a national holiday. To bring awareness to the cause, she started her Opal’s Walk 2 DC  campaign in 2016, where she walked 2.5 miles to symbolize the 2.5 years that it took for enslaved people in  Texas to know that they were free. Ms. Opal launched a petition to make Juneteenth a national holiday on Change.org. In September 2020, it delivered the 1.5 million signatures it had received to  Congress. Ms. Opal believes freedom should be celebrated from the 19th of June to the 4th of July.  For more information, visit https://adobe.ly/3hs3jg0.

ABOUT CAA

CAA is a leading entertainment, media, and sports enterprise, with global expertise in motion pictures, television, music, sports, theater, digital media, publishing, endorsements, media finance, consumer investing, fashion, podcasting, speaking, games, and philanthropy. Led by a world-class management team and distinguished by its culture of collaboration and exceptional client service, CAA’s diverse workforce identifies and innovates opportunities for the people and organizations that shape culture and inspire the world. For more information, visit https://www.caa.com.

ABOUT UNITY UNLIMITED

Unity Unlimited, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose main mission is to provide educational activities and resources to the young and old, fostering unity and harmony within the community, the city,  the state, the nation, and the world regardless of race and culture, or denomination. For more information, visit: www.unityunlimited.org/

ABOUT [INVNT GROUP] 

[INVNT GROUP] was established in 2020, as an evolution of the founding global live brand storytelling agency INVNT in 2008, with a vision to provide consistent, meaningful, well-articulated BrandStory across all platforms. With offices in New York, Sydney, London, Singapore, San Francisco, Stockholm, Detroit, and Washington D.C.; headed by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, [INVNT GROUP], THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT™ represents a growing portfolio of complementary disciplines designed to help forward-thinking organizations everywhere, impact the audiences that matter, anywhere. The GROUP consists of modern brand strategy firm Folk Hero; creative-led culture consultancy, Meaning; production studio & creative agency, HEVĒ; events for colleges and universities, INVNT Higher Ed, and the original live brand storytelling agency, INVNT. For more information, visit www.invntgroup.com.

Daria Hookfin
Hooked On Ent
16825009347
daria@hookenterprises.com

Dione Sims
Unity Unlimited
18173176262
dione.sims@unityunlimited.org

 

LONDON, March 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emerging Markets Global Advisory Limited (EMGA), the niche investment bank focused on emerging markets, announces today another landmark Senior Debt capital raise transaction that will allow BTG Pactual to continue the expansion of its small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) lending activities in Brazil.

The US$200 million debt facility was provided by JICA and the transaction follows on from two previous DFI financed facilities of US$140 million and US$300 million respectively that EMGA has had also advised on.

A JICA spokesman said, “Thanks to EMGA’s support, we will partner Banco BTG Pactual S.A. addressing the funding gap for MSMEs in Brazil. BTG Pactual is among the first to introduce digital platforms offering financial solutions to businesses throughout the whole nation. With its digital platforms readily available to support the lending operation, Banco BTG Pactual S.A. can efficiently extend credits to the Northeast and Northern Regions, where only a limited number of financial institutions are actively operating to serve businesses at this time.”

Sajeev Chakkalakal, Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking at EMGA, said: “It was a real pleasure to help BTG’s team again by advising on this additional facility aimed at funding BTG’s small and medium enterprise loan portfolio across Brazil. JICA is an important partner of EMGA and its position as a pre-eminent development finance institution also offers another new strategic long term funding source for BTG.”

Jeremy Dobson, Managing Director, and Head of Business Development at EMGA, added: “Our team is delighted to have acted as advisor again to BTG and look forward to their continued success.”

BTG Pactual: BTG is the largest investment bank in Latin America, the 6th largest bank in Brazil by shareholders equity and a key player in providing loans and guarantees to a broad set of clients, from SMEs to large corporations. BTG is a pioneer in promoting climate finance in Brazil and plays a pivotal role in channeling resources towards projects with a positive impact in the community.

JICA: The Japan International Cooperation Agency is a governmental agency that delivers the bulk of Official Development Assistance for the government of Japan. It is chartered with assisting economic and social growth in developing countries, and the promotion of international cooperation.

Emerging Markets Global Advisory Limited (EMGA), with offices in London and New York, helps financial institutions and corporates seeking new debt or equity capital. EMGA’s multi-national team combine the decades of experience necessary to complete transactions on behalf of their clients within the world’s emerging markets and frontier economies, including Brazil which remains a key market. With a proven track record in capital formation and strategic advisory throughout diverse economic cycles, EMGA continues expanding its geographic reach and service offering, solidifying its place in the market as one of the industries pre-eminent emerging markets focused niche investment banks.

Contact info@emergingmarketsglobaladvisory.com

Eagle Eye LPR Makes License Plate Recognition Practical and Affordable

The newest enhancement to the Eagle Eye Cloud VMS (video management system), Eagle Eye LPR/ANPR is AI-powered, cloud-managed, and does not require the purchase of special cameras

AUSTIN, Texas, March 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eagle Eye Networks, the global leader in cloud video surveillance, today launched Eagle Eye LPR (license plate recognition), which uses artificial intelligence (AI) in a true cloud-based system for high accuracy in all kinds of challenging conditions. Eagle Eye LPR operates on readily available security cameras making it affordable and practical for today’s business owners.

“We’re seeing increased demand for LPR/ANPR for security and business optimization. Eagle Eye LPR is designed to be easy to deploy and manage, and it does not require the purchase of special cameras,” said Dean Drako, CEO of Eagle Eye Networks. “Our industry-leading AI not only provides high accuracy, Eagle Eye cloud LPR is continuously improved to support new license plates and increase accuracy.”

Powered by Eagle Eye Networks industry-leading AI and analytics, Eagle Eye LPR works with the Eagle Eye Networks Vehicle Surveillance Package (VSP) to enable seamless monitoring of vehicles across multiple locations.

Eagle Eye Networks supports many manufacturers’ LPR products including cameras. Eagle Eye Networks operates an open system giving customers choice. The Eagle Eye Cloud VMS will continue to support camera and other LPR technologies.

The benefits of Eagle Eye LPR include:

• Camera Agnostic: Works securely with nearly any IP or other camera
• Affordable: Does not require specialty cameras, onsite hardware or onsite maintenance
• High Accuracy: Eagle Eye’s AI provides industry-leading accuracy even for non-standard license plates and in challenging lighting and environmental conditions
• Flexibility: Open API for unlimited integrations with other technology partners
• Scalability: Manage and add locations, cameras, features with the click of a button
• Continuous Delivery: AI LPR is continually improved to support newer license plates, and all Eagle Eye development innovations are instantly delivered to customers via the cloud
• Broad Geographic LPR/ANPR Support: North America, Mexico, EU, UK, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia

Target applications for Eagle Eye LPR include:

• Smart Parking with LPR-based automation
• Corporate Offices – Secure, smooth vehicle entry/exit
• Healthcare and Education Campuses – Touchless access control
• Home Owners Associations (HOAs) and Multi-Family Homes – Neighborhood safety
• Critical Infrastructure, Industrial – Multi-site remote monitoring
• Restaurants, Retail, Curbside Pickup – Improved customer experience
• Hospitality, and more

Eagle Eye LPR offers resellers opportunities to enter new markets, to provide additional services, and to increase revenue.

“With Eagle Eye LPR, there’s no major hardware swap or installation, you can use existing cameras,” said Lon Bazelais, president of Grid Squared Systems, an Eagle Eye Networks certified security systems integrator based in New York City. “They have made it super easy for us and for our clients. Eagle Eye license plate recognition removes the hassle and expense of LPR systems. Now, Eagle Eye LPR will allow us to enter new vertical markets, notably parking facilities, which is a huge opportunity for us in New York City. We’re also excited to bring this advanced technology to our existing clients who want to add LPR to their current security systems.”

Brian West, President of ParkNGo in Dayton, Ohio who is using Eagle Eye LPR to modernize their overall security posture, added “we’re seriously streamlining parking operations and improving the experience for customers at the same time. With Eagle Eye LPR, our customers can enter and exit the lot without even rolling down their windows. Their prepaid parking reservation is automatically applied and the experience is just short of magical. We’re impressed with the high accuracy of the Eagle Eye LPR—their artificial intelligence (AI) makes the difference—and it is so simple for our employees to use. The total cost of ownership is reduced as the solution works with a low-cost ONVIF camera, and the managed service from Eagle Eye assures me of continuous upgrades and support.”

LPR is also known as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) or Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR). Eagle Eye LPR is available now. Visit our site for more information.

ABOUT EAGLE EYE NETWORKS
Eagle Eye Networks is the global leader in cloud video surveillance, delivering cyber-secure cloud-based video with artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics to make businesses more efficient and the world a safer place. The Eagle Eye Cloud VMS (video management system) is the only platform robust and flexible enough to power the future of video surveillance and intelligence. Eagle Eye is based in Austin, Texas with offices in Amsterdam, Bangalore, and Tokyo. Learn more at een.com.

EAGLE EYE PRESS CONTACT
GLOBAL HQ
Martha Entwistle
mentwistle@een.com
+1-512-473-0500

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3053614f-7b00-4a40-9f25-9d16bd67207b

BYOOVIZ™ becomes the first Lucentis® biosimilar to be approved in Canada following its approval in Europe and the United States in 2021

INCHEON, Korea and TORONTO, March 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. and Biogen Canada Inc. today announced that Health Canada has approved BYOOVIZ™ – a biosimilar referencing LUCENTIS^®i (ranibizumab) – for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD); visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema (DME), macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO), choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathologic myopia (PM) and choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to ocular conditions other than AMD or PM, including but not limited to angioid streaks, post-inflammatory retinochoroidopathy, central serous choriorentinopathy or idiopathic chorioretinaopathy.

Ranibizumab is an anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) therapy for retinal vascular disordersⁱⁱ including AMD that affects nearly 2 million Canadians and accounts for 90 percent of new cases of legal blindness in Canada.ⁱⁱⁱ

Health Canada granted a Notice of Compliance (NOC) for BYOOVIZ™ on March 8, making it the first and only ranibizumab biosimilar to receive regulatory approval in Canada to date. A biosimilar is a biologic drug that is highly similar to an already authorized biologic drug, known as the reference biologic drug, and has no clinically meaningful differences in efficacy and safety from the reference product authorized for sale.^iv

“We are pleased to have achieved a key milestone with Health Canada’s regulatory approval of our ranibizumab biosimilar,” said Byoungin Jung, Vice President and Regulatory Affairs Team Leader at Samsung Bioepis. “The approval is part of our commitment to providing a treatment option for patients with retinal vascular disorders in Canada.”

“With an estimated eight million Canadians at risk of losing their sight due to an eye disease and AMD the leading cause of vision loss in those over 50, we are excited to be part of this important milestone in providing new treatment options for those affected by debilitating ophthalmic diseases like retinal vascular disorders,” said Eric Tse, General Manager at Biogen Canada. “This is an important first step for Biogen’s biosimilars franchise in Canada. We believe biosimilars are a key step towards providing more Canadians with access to quality treatment, while offering significant savings to our healthcare system.”

The Health Canada approval was based on a totality of evidence including quality, non-clinical data, and clinical data. In a randomized, double-masked, parallel group, multicenter Phase 3 study, the efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity of ranibizumab were compared to the reference product in patients with wet AMD and were found to be similar.

Prior to this approval in Canada, BYOOVIZ™ became the first ophthalmology biosimilar approved in the United States on September 17, 2021, and was also approved in Europe, including 27 European Union (EU) member countries on August 18, 2021, and the United Kingdom on August 31, 2021.

In November 2019, Samsung Bioepis signed a commercialization agreement with Biogen Inc. for two ophthalmology biosimilar candidates, SB11 (ranibizumab) and SB15 (aflibercept). Under the agreement, Biogen is responsible for commercialization of SB11 and SB15 in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia.

BYOOVIZ™ is Samsung Bioepis’ sixth biosimilar approved in Canada after receiving the company’s approval of BRENZYS^® (etanercept) in August 2016, RENFLEXIS^® (infliximab) in December 2017, HADLIMA^® (adalimumab) in May 2018, AYBINTIO^® (bevacizumab) in November 2021, and ONTRUZANT^® (trastuzumab) in February 2022, and Biogen Canada’s first approved biosimilar.

About Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd.
Established in 2012, Samsung Bioepis is a biopharmaceutical company committed to realizing healthcare that is accessible to everyone. Through innovations in product development and a firm commitment to quality, Samsung Bioepis aims to become the world’s leading biopharmaceutical company. Samsung Bioepis continues to advance a broad pipeline of biosimilar candidates that cover a spectrum of therapeutic areas, including immunology, oncology, ophthalmology, hematology, endocrinology and gastroenterology. For more information, please visit: www.samsungbioepis.com and follow us on social media – Twitter, LinkedIn.

About Biogen 
As pioneers in neuroscience, Biogen discovers, develops, and delivers worldwide innovative therapies for people living with serious neurological diseases as well as related therapeutic adjacencies. One of the world’s first global biotechnology companies, Biogen was founded in 1978 by Charles Weissmann, Heinz Schaller, Sir Kenneth Murray, and Nobel Prize winners Walter Gilbert and Phillip Sharp. Today, Biogen has the leading portfolio of medicines to treat multiple sclerosis, has introduced the first approved treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, and is providing the first and only approved treatment to address a defining pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. Biogen is also commercializing biosimilars, and focusing on advancing the industry’s most diversified pipeline in neuroscience that will transform the standard of care for patients in several areas of high unmet need.

Since 1998, Biogen Canada has been delivering life-changing medicines and services that support unmet treatment needs and the lives of Canadians affected by neurological conditions. As a company that founds its culture on principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, Biogen Canada is proud to have been named a Top 50 Best Workplace™ in the country and Healthcare, as well as a Best Workplace™ for Inclusion, Women, Giving Back, and Hybrid Work.To learn more, please visit www.biogen.ca.

MEDIA CONTACT

Jane Chung: ejane.chung@samsung.com

Biogen Canada: Marija Mandic, +1 416 234 7901, marija.mandic@biogen.com

____________________

ⁱ Lucentis is a registered trademark of Genentech, Inc.

ⁱⁱ CADTH Therapeutic Report. Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Drugs for the Treatment of Retinal Conditions Recommendations Report. May 2016. Available at https://www.cadth.ca/sites/default/files/pdf/TR0009_Anti-VEGFs_Recs_Report.pdf. Accessed in March, 2022

ⁱⁱⁱ Canadian Ophthalmological Society News Release. Feb 2021. Available at https://www.cos-sco.ca/amd-awareness-month-sheds-light-on-the-leading-cause-of-severe-vision-loss-in-older-adults/ Accessed in March 2022.

^iv Health Canada Biosimilars Fact Sheet. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/biologics-radiopharmaceuticals-genetic-therapies/applications-submissions/guidance-documents/fact-sheet-biosimilars.html. Accessed in March 2022.

LONDON, March 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Annapurna Finance raised EURO 15 mn of senior debt from OeEB the Development Bank of Austria, this facility will provide financial assistance to its clients in microfinance space. EMGA advised on the transaction.

The EUR 15 million debt facility comes at a time when financial institutions world-wide are exploring new cross-border funding options to further deliver on their objectives.

“Increasing financial inclusion is one of our main strategic goals. We are therefore proud to work with Annapurna – an experienced partner in the field of microfinance,” stated Sabine Gaber, member of OeEB’s Executive Board. “Especially women often have very limited access to financial services, which is why we are particularly happy that our funds will support female entrepreneurs and contribute to improving gender equality in India.”

Commenting on the transaction, Annapurna’s CFO Satyajit Das said, “Annapurna is very pleased and welcomes OeEB as a new debt partner.” He further shared that, “We continued to grow despite the pandemic and the funding provided by OeEB will help boost our activities while generating strong positive impact.” He also praised EMGA advisory team in closing the deal.

EMGA’s Managing Director and Investment Banking Head Sajeev Chakkalakal said, “It was a pleasure to be able to communicate Annapurna’s vision of economic empowerment within India and successfully structure and negotiate this funding solution with OeEB.” Managing Director Jeremy Dobson added “Annapurna’s strong management and solid financial position were major factors that enabled Sajeev and EMGA’s Investment Banking team to complete this financing in tandem with the deep institutional framework and financial capacity that OeEB represents.”

Annapurna Finance is one of the top ten NBFC-MFIs in India. Annapurna Finance was established with a purpose of serving their clients by bringing them to mainstream, providing need based financial services at their doorstep. They currently operate in 19 states and manage assets of more than EURO 640 mn in microfinance and MSME space. They are headquartered out of Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Oesterreichische Entwicklungsbank AG (OeEB) has been operating as the Development Bank of Austria since March 2008. It specialises in the provision of long-term finance for the implementation of private sector projects in developing countries which create sustainable development. Additionally, OeEB provides technical assistance, which can be used to enhance the developmental impact of projects. For more information, please visit https://www.oe-eb.at/

Emerging Markets Global Advisory (EMGA), with offices in London and New York, helps financial institutions and corporates seeking debt or equity capital. EMGA’s multi-national team combine the decades of experience necessary to complete transactions on behalf of their clients within the world’s emerging markets and frontier economies, including India which remains a key market. With a proven track record in capital formation and strategic advisory throughout diverse economic cycles, EMGA continues expanding its geographic reach and service offering, solidifying its place in the market as one of the industries pre-eminent emerging markets focused niche investment banks.

info@emergingmarketsglobaladvisory.com